Master and Padawan
by Katharos
Summary: What if Luke was raised by Obi-Wan as his Padawan?
1. Age Four to Six

  
I've put each different person speaking into its own paragraph, so it should be easier to read now.  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, they all belong to that wonderful man George Lucas.  
Authors Note: This is an AU, hope you like it!  
  
  
  
  
  
Master and Padawan  
  
  
"Luke!" Obi-Wan Kenobi, known as 'Crazy Old Ben' to the various inhabitants of Tatooine, General of the Clone Wars and one of the last remaining Jedi Masters called out in exasperation. A giggle was the only answer he received. Obi-Wan groaned softly and closed his eyes. He should, he thought despairingly, have an edge not normally available to the parents/guardians/keepers across the galaxy and time whose charges had played this age-old game-'Hide from your parents/guardians/keepers until they go mad.' Namely, the Force. But his charge, son of the Chosen One with a midichlorian count nearly as high as his Father's, had mastered shielding your presence in the force very early on in life. A talent which would, he was sure, be very useful when the time came for Luke to confront Vader and the Emperor, but right now was preventing Obi-Wan from 'finding' him.  
  
"Luke, if you don't come out right this minute, you won't get any Kalla fruit with dinner," he called. Resorting, as so many handlers had, to blackmail. And the key to any four year-olds obedience- his stomach.  
  
There was silence for a moment as Luke considered his masters ultimatum, then he came crawling out from under the speeder, covered in engine oil and grinning. Obi-Wan stared down at him in shock for a moment, then shook his head and sighed.  
  
"Padawan, what in the Force am I going to do with you?" Luke grinned up at him,  
  
"Don't know Ben," he said. Then instantly his face transformed from grinning devil to angelic angel, "Did you say something about Kalla fruits?" He inquired innocently. Ben smiled down at him, heart melting once again.  
  
"They're on the table, Luke," he told him. "When you have cleaned yourself up we'll eat."  
  
"Thanks Master!" Luke called and scampered inside the hut they had made their home.  
  
Obi-Wan looked after him, a soft smile gracing his timeworn features. Luke's speech patterns were more adult then were normal for a human four year-old, a side affect of his high midichlorian count, perhaps. But inside he was still a young boy. I should have spent more time with the initiates at the temple, Obi-Wan thought. But who would have guessed I'd be taking a Padawan before he was one year-old? His mood darkened as his train of thought inevitably returned to the circumstances that had required that he did. To the Empire that was spreading its dark grip across the stars. To the deaths of his fellow Jedi Knights, hunted down and killed in the purge. And to Anakin. Anakin his Padawan, his friend, who he failed.  
  
A burst of impatience along the Master-Padawan bond alerted Obi-Wan to the fact that he had a hungry Padawan waiting in the kitchen, and affectively pulling him out of his dark thoughts. He smiled wryly and made his way into the kitchen where Luke was waiting impatiently at the table to begin. Obi-Wan paused for a moment and studied the boy attentively.   
  
"Luke," he began  
  
"Yes Ben?" Luke asked, staring up at him, angelically innocent. The corner of Ben's mouth twitched in spite of himself.  
  
"I believe, Luke," he said, trying to sound stern, "That I said we would eat 'after' you had cleaned yourself up." Luke looked down at his filthy tunic, arms and legs. He looked back up, grinning.  
  
"Oops," he said. Obi-Wan pointed sternly in the direction of the bathroom, trying hard not to grin himself.  
  
"Bathroom, now Luke," he said.  
  
"Just one Kalla fruit?" Luke asked, voice going pitiful. Obi-Wan looked down at his filthy, unrepentant Padawan.  
  
"Bathroom," he repeated firmly. Muttering, Luke slid off his chair and made his way to the bathroom.  
  
Obi-Wan looked after Luke almost dazedly. He remembered when he had first brought him to Tatooine as little more than a baby. He had planned on giving him to his half-brother, Owen, and his wife Beru. Then, he had not wanted to even consider taking another Padawan, as he was still hurting after Anakin. And he was too afraid that he would fail that Padawan, as he did before. Then, a sandstorm had blown up, effectively trapping them inside the hut. During that time, Qui-Gon had appeared and proceeded to turn all of Obi-Wan's arguments to him about Xanatos against him. Qui-Gon had then left before a flustered Obi-Wan could come up with a good comeback. If he even could, he admitted now. The sandstorm had lasted a few days, as they were sometimes known to do on Tatooine. As he cared for Luke during that time he had felt, against his will, a bond forming between them. The Master-Padawan bond. But by the time the storm had ended, Obi-Wan had not wanted to give Luke up.   
  
Chance. Ben thought now. Chance, and an incredibly persistent Master, who refused to give up harassing his Padawan even after death, was al that had conspired to give him his Padawan now, and to begin the healing of the wounds in his heart and soul.  
  
A thump broke into the Jedi Master's reflections and he looked up to find said Padawan regarding him and the fruit expectantly. Obi-Wan looked him over carefully. For a wonder he was clean- except for a few oily streaks in his sun-bleached hair. Ben decided not to press the issue. If he did, he would probably have a case of Padawan rebellion on his hands. He smiled at Luke and nodded at the fruit.  
  
"Go on, then," he said. Luke brightened up and lunged at the fruit. Obi-Wan smiled tolerantly and leaned back, taking his own Kalla fruit with him as he did so. He bit into the tight skin of the fruit, the juicy sweetness of its centre falling into his mouth. He had to admit, he thought, they weren't half- he froze as he felt a fleeting disturbance in the Force as one Life fled this existence to become one with it. One life he had known well. Padme  
  
A well of pain and confusion along their bond pulled Obi-Wan out of his stupor to look at Luke. His Padawan was staring at him wide-eyed; his eyes filled with unshed tears.  
  
"Oh, Luke," Obi-Wan murmured, getting up from his chair and making his way around to Luke, forgetting his own pain in the face of his Padawan's. He gathered him up in his arms as Luke buried his face in the coarse material of his Tatooine tunic and sobbed. Obi-Wan sent waves of reassurance and love through their bond, holding his Padawan tightly as Luke's young heart cried out in pain for the death of his mother he could barely remember, but had always been connected to.  
  
"There is no Death, There is the Force," Obi-Wan repeated the Jedi Code softly in an attempt to comfort them both as he mourned his dear friend, and Padawan's mother, with him.  
  
********  
  
Obi-Wan wearily stumbled towards the com-centre, sank into the chair, and buried his face in his hands. Luke had finally fallen asleep and was lying on his sleeping couch, face tearstained. Ben stared at the high-tech com-centre, complete with high level encoding equipment. Odd, in a hermits hut on Tatooine. He hesitated a second, then punched in a direct line to Alderaan.  
  
After a few minutes the weary face of Bail Organa, Viceroy of Alderaan, appeared.  
  
"Obi-Wan." Neither his voice nor his face held any surprise at the contact.  
  
"Bail," Obi-Wan greeted his friend and comrade-in-arms. "How?" Bail didn't need to ask how what. He replied wearily.  
  
"The medics have spewed out a long stream of medical jargon, but we both know that's not really what she died of."  
  
"A broken heart," Obi-Wan said softly. Bail sighed.  
  
"Honestly, Obi-Wan, I think she just hung on this long for the twins. For Luke and Leia. As soon as she knew they were safe, happy and loved... she just didn't have any reason to hang onto life and all its pains." Obi-Wan nodded quietly.  
  
"How is Leia taking it?"  
  
"She only knew Padme as her nursemaid but... I think on some level she always knew who she was. She burst into tears the moment Amidala passed away, she's only just now cried herself to sleep."  
  
"Luke, too," Obi-Wan said sadly. "We felt her passing." Bail's face betrayed his astonishment  
  
"Luke felt it? At that distance?"  
  
"Size matters not," Obi-Wan said, speaking Master Yoda's oft repeated chide.   
"And distance matters not, too. Especially for these two, I think."  
  
"They are Anakin's children," Bail whispered. "It is to be expected."  
  
"Everything is alright with Leia?" Obi-Wan asked. "No flukes that might raise questions?" Bail shook his head.  
  
"Nothing," he said. "I think you were right when you said Leia has more passive abilities." Obi-Wan smiled fondly, glad to be moving on to more pleasant topics.  
  
"Well, Luke's abilities are defiantly more active," he smiled. "I keep finding certain essential items in the strangest places, places that no four year old should be able to access." Bail chuckled.  
  
"I don't envy you that," he said. "Leia gets into enough trouble without Force assistance, and drags Winter into it, too."  
  
"Winter?" Ben asked  
  
"Her friend," Bail said. "Visitors are always mistaking Winter for the Princess, Leia is such a little tomboy, always coming in covered in mud and foliage." Obi-Wan grinned.  
  
"That's quite common with Force-sensitive children," he said. "It's showing a connection to the Living Force. Luckily, I don't have to worry about that."  
  
"I envy you," Bail smiled.  
  
"Don't," Obi-Wan said, dismally. "I get sand instead. You'd be amazed at the places sand can get!" Bail's mouth twitched.  
  
"Sand?" he asked,  
  
"Sand." Obi-Wan confirmed. "Lots and lots of sand." Sadness crept back into Bail's eyes.  
  
  
"Amidala said that she used to get filthy as a child," he said quietly. Obi-Wan nodded sympathetically, his own sadness returning.  
  
"She lives on in her children," he said softly. Bail nodded.  
  
"We'd better end this transmission he said, reaching for the off-switch on his side. He hesitated. "Good luck."  
  
"We'll need it," Obi-wan said. "We're raising Skywalkers after all," Bail's laughter was cut off as the screen went blank.  
  
Obi-Wan stood and stretched. Talking with Bail had helped him find some peace. He walked softly over to his Padawan's room and peered inside. Luke was sleeping more peacefully now. Ben knelt by his head and gently pushed the fair hair he had inherited from Anakin out of his face. Luke looked so much like him, he thought. And he acted so much like him, too. Obi-Wan smiled down at his sleeping Padawan.   
  
"They 'both' live on in their children," he said aloud. "There is no Death, There is the Force."  
  
********  
  
Obi-Wan pulled the speeder up in front of the Lars's moisture farm, and glanced sideways at Luke who was sitting in the passenger seat next to him. The six-year-old was pouting because Obi-Wan had refused to allow him to pilot the speeder over to the farm. And, Obi-Wan mused, probably because of the purpose behind this visit.  
  
Obi-Wan stretched and swung himself out of the speeder. He glanced back at Luke who was still sulking and sighed.  
  
"Luke, come on," he said. "Beru is waiting for us." He considered his Padawan more carefully. "If you don't get out of that speeder right this minute, you'll have to do an extra two hours meditation when we get back home." Luke stayed silent and didn't move for a minute. Then, with a weary, put upon sigh he got up and clambered out of the speeder and made his way around to stand next to Ben. Obi-Wan looked down at his Padawan and inwardly shook his head. Threatening a six-year-old with extra meditation he thought wryly. Since when did I sink so low?  
  
In spite of his sulk, however, Obi-Wan could sense that Luke was actually extremely curious, and eager to meat the Lars. He hadn't met many people in his short life, living out in the Dune Sea with a hermit who the locals considered crazy.   
  
Sighing, Ben placed a hand between Luke's shoulder blades and gently guided him to the entrance to the courtyard, and then towards the door to the house proper. Over the years on Tatooine, Beru had gained a reputation as a teacher for young children of all species. She loved children, but was barren and tried to substitute the children she could never have by playing a small part in many of the young of Anchorhead lives.   
  
Sometimes Obi-Wan felt terribly guilty by depriving Beru of the foster son she could have had in Luke, by being selfish and not carrying through with his original plan of giving Luke into her and her husband's care. But then he would look at his Padawan, and though it might not dispel the guilt, he would find himself unable to summon any regrets.  
  
Pulling his mind free from his ponderings on the past, Obi-Wan pressed the buzzer by the door and focused his mind, as his master had so often told him to do, on the present. Beru would have her chance to be involved in Luke's life, in teaching him, now.  
  
********  
  
Obi-Wan heard footsteps on the other side of the door, and straightened and smiled as the door opened and Beru looked out.  
  
Beru's eyes widened in surprise, then she smiled widely.  
  
"Obi-Wan!" She exclaimed. "This is a pleasant surprise." Obi-Wan smiled back, genuinely glad to see her, he had always been fond of his half-brothers wife.  
  
"Beru," he said, inclining his head slightly, "You look well." Beru laughed.  
  
"You're too kind, Ben. Please, come in. It's hot out." She moved backwards, opening the door wider. Obi-Wan stepped inside, stamping his feet to shake the sand of his boots. He pushed Luke gently ahead of him, out of the shadow of his robes, resisting the urge to shake his head over the shyness he now felt coming over their bond.  
  
Beru glanced down, just noticing Luke. She smiled at him.  
  
"And who's this?" she asked kindly. Obi-Wan answered when it became apparent his Padawan wasn't about to answer.  
  
"This is Luke Skywalker," he said. "My Padawan," he added. Luke looked up at him, clearly surprised. Ben had stressed again and again that he was not to mention anything to do with the Jedi, or Obi-Wan's real name, to anyone. Ben smiled down at him, reassuring.  
  
Shock had crossed Beru's face momentarily at Luke's name, but she had her expression back under control as she smiled at him.  
  
"Welcome, young Luke," she said. "Why don't you come in," she added, turning back into the interior of the house. "I've got some Kalla fruits out, if you want some." Luke brightened up and followed Beru eagerly. *Maybe Beru won't be so bad after all* Ben caught his thought. Chuckling to himself, he closed the door and followed them.  
  
Entering the dining room, he found Luke sitting down and already biting into a Kalla fruit. Obi-Wan slipped into a chair and nodded his thanks to Beru as she poured some water into a glass for him.  
  
"Beru," he began, uncomfortable with the question, "is Owen around?" He couldn't sense his half-brother anywhere, but Owen had always had strong natural shields. And as much as he was reluctant to admit it, Ben was extremely eager to avoid a confrontation with him. Beru looked at him, understanding in her eyes.  
  
"He went into Anchorhead to get some parts he needed for the vaparators," she said. Obi-Wan nodded, slightly ashamed of the relief that flooded him. Luke glanced at him, curious about the emotion he sensed, his mouth stained with Kalla fruit juice.  
  
"Now," Beru began, moving into a slightly more professional tone. "I understand you want me to tutor him?"  
  
"Yes," Ben nodded. "I can teach him reading and writing and other basic skills but the rest?" he shrugged. "I feel it would be best for someone else to take over at least part of his tutoring." Beru nodded her head and sipped at her water. Obi-Wan could sense Luke's annoyance about being talked over by the 'grown-ups.'  
  
"I teach quite a few of the young ones from Anchorhead," she began, setting her glass down. "In fact, on of them is her now." She turned towards the opening through to the living room, "Biggs!" she called, "Biggs could you come in here a minute?" A dark haired boy, about a year or so older than Luke, poked his head around the doorframe.  
  
"You called, Ms Beru?" he asked.  
  
"Yes," Beru smiled. "Biggs this is Luke, Luke this is Biggs," She looked at Biggs. "Luke will be taking classes with us from now on," she smiled at the two boys. "Why don't you two go and play while us adults finish talking?" Luke glance over at Obi-Wan for reassurance, and when he nodded his head he climbed down from his chair and made his way over to Biggs  
  
"Come on!" Biggs said enthusiastically. "I brought a couple of models from my starship collection with me, do you want to see them?"  
  
"You have a starship collection?" Luke's answering enthusiasm died away around the corner.  
  
Obi-Wan turned back to Beru, a sad smile on his face in response to Luke's enthusiasm he could still feel echoing in the back of his head. He was so much like Anakin in his attitude towards ships and the stars.  
  
"That's another reason I want him to learn here," he said. "He needs some friends his own age." Beru chuckled softly.  
  
"You are rather isolated out there," she agreed. "Now, what does Luke know already, and what does he need to learn?"  
  
******  
  
Luke followed Biggs through to the garage, annoyed with himself for needing to look to Obi-Wan for reassurance. He perched on the edge of a crate and looked around while Biggs fished his models out of his pack.  
  
The garage was big, at least to Luke's young eyes used to a tiny hut, and filled with clutter. Droids, droid parts, a lubricating bath, tools... Luke's fingers itched to fix what was so glaringly obviously, at least to him, with one of the druids. He looked back around eagerly as Biggs settled down next to him, putting his starship models down.  
  
"See!" He said proudly. "I've got a TIE fighter and a Head Hunter and a Lambda Class shuttle here with me..." Luke looked down at them, relaxing now that things were on his favourite ground. He had been shy... and his Master had noticed it!  
  
Luke shook his thoughts off and noticed a ship he didn't recognise.  
  
"What's that one?" he asked, pointing at it.   
  
"Which one?" Biggs looked down at it. "Oh! That one. That's a Pod, it's not really a ship."  
  
"What is it, then?" Luke asked, interested. Biggs grinned.  
  
"It's a racer," he said. "It's a bit like swoop racing or something, what it's raced in. There's an arena and they have huge races at Mos Espa, especially on Boonta Eve. They go so fast! The track comes down near here, through Beggars Canyon."  
  
"Have you ever seen a race?" Luke asked excitedly. Biggs shook his head, disappointed.  
  
"No. My mom doesn't like them, and my dad's always too busy to take me."  
  
"Well, can't you watch when they come through Beggars canyon?" Biggs shook his head again.  
  
"No. Tusken Raiders camp out on the trail a lot, and shoot at the Pods as they come by.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"But they transmit the Boonta Eve race at least over the holos. They go really fast around the turns. Humans can't do it, though."  
  
"Why not?" Luke demanded indignantly. Biggs grinned at him.  
  
"There's nothing xenophobic about it, Luke," he said. "Humans just don't have fast enough reflexes." I bet Jedi reflexes could handle it, Luke thought, experiencing a thrill at the idea.  
  
"Anyway," Biggs said, changing the subject. "Where do you live? I've never seen you before." Luke pulled his mind away from dreams of Podracing to answer.  
  
"We live out by the Dune Sea," he told him, pointing vaguely in the direction of the hut.  
  
"The Dune Sea?" Biggs asked, puzzled. "But no-one lives out there except Old Ben."  
  
"I know," Luke said calmly, examining the turbines on the model Podracer. "I live with him."  
  
"Old Ben?" Biggs gaped at him. "But, he's crazy!" Luke whirled on him, suddenly furious.  
  
"He is not crazy!" He snarled, forgetting, for the moment, that he was still mad at his Master for not letting him pilot the speeder over. He glared at Biggs who was now looking a bit nervous.  
*Padawan* Obi-Wan's thought suddenly rang in his head, along with concern and a demand to know what had happened.  
*He called you crazy!* Luke sent back, still glaring at Biggs. Obi-Wan's next thought was like a sigh through his mind.  
*Padawan, everyone thinks that I am crazy; it's part of what keeps us safe.* The 'tone' changed to one of amusement. *Besides, you've called me crazy any number of times*  
*That's different* Luke thought sulkily.  
*Oh?* Ben thought and there was definitely amusement coming through the bond now, though the concern was still there. *So you mean, the Padawan can insult the Master, but anyone else who does so must die a horrible death?*  
*Exactly!* Luke sent back promptly, some of his anger beginning to drain away. Obi-Wan's mental laughter was a warm tingle in the back of his mind. Suddenly, however, the sense of his master became more serious.  
*While I am grateful to you for defending my honour, Padawan,* he thought trying to keep the conversation fairly light. *I sensed that you felt great anger at Biggs,* The concern in his Master's sense had grown stronger, and Luke immediately felt ashamed, and then guilty. 'Peace over Anger' he told himself sharply.  
*I'm sorry, Master,* he sent humbly.  
*It's OK, Padawan,* Obi-Wan thought, soothingly. *Just try to keep control over your anger, alright?* He sent a wave of reassurance and love, then withdrew from his mind, leaving Luke blinking, still staring at Biggs and suddenly a lot calmer. The whole mental exchange had only taken a few seconds.  
  
Luke sighed and smiled sheepishly at Biggs, trying to apologise.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just..." he shrugged. Biggs smiled slightly and came over to sit next to him, albeit a bit warily.  
  
"It's okay," he offered. "I shouldn't have said that." Luke shook his head.  
  
"If he's crazy I don't know what I am." He smiled at his friend. "I don't even know what I'm doing defending him," he said. "He wouldn't let me pilot the speeder on our way over, and I'm the one that services that thing!" Biggs laughed, then looked at his new friend thoughtfully.  
  
"Are you really good at mechanical stuff?" he asked, deliberately casual.  
  
"Yeah, I am," Luke nodded.  
  
"Great!" Biggs exclaimed, jumping up and hauling Luke to his feet. "Come on!"  
  
"Wait!" Luke planted his feet firmly and eyed the older boy with suspicion.   
  
"Where and why?"  
  
"Well," Biggs mumbled, looking down at his feet. "Ms Beru teaches me for free in exchange for me helping Owen out with the druids but I can never get that one," he pointed disgustedly at the droid that had caught Luke's eye earlier, "To work."  
  
"Really?" Luke looked at his friend in amazement. "It's simple, really, look..." And in a few moments the two boys were getting delightfully oily.  
  
*******  
  
Lanal Darklighter pulled her speeder up in front of the Lars' farm. She noted that there was another speeder parked outside, rather more battered then her own. The Darklighter Business was still growing, but not fast enough to suit Huff, or to prevent him from saving credits where he could, like imposing on Beru Lars' kindness, and asking her to teach Biggs.  
  
Lanal smiled slightly, stepping out of the speeder and making her way into the garage. Although Biggs wasn't her own son, she did love him and- the sound of two young voices, raised not so much in anger but more bantering, stood toe-to-toe, yelling.   
  
"You had to go and pull on that socket, didn't you?" A young boy, just recognisable as fair-haired, was yelling.  
  
"It wasn't my fault!" Biggs, his face just recognisable under a covering of oil, defended himself. "I told you I was no good with Droids!"   
  
"Yeah? Well, I don't know about your mother, but Ben will-" He stopped suddenly turning to face her though she was sure she had made no noise. Biggs turned with him, glancing around, confused- until his eyes fell on his mother.  
  
Guiltiness and panic, then an angelic expression she was sure young boys must practice in the mirror, crossed both their faces.  
  
"Mum!" Biggs said, nervously. "We were just, umm..." He glanced at his new friend for help, but he just looked at him with sympathy but helplessly... until horror crossed his face and he turned to look at the entrance of the garage through to the rest of the house. A man burst through, then stopped short, staring at the two boys.  
  
"Hi, Ben." The fair-haired boy offered weakly. He glanced between himself and Biggs, obviously looking for something to lessen whatever fate was about to fall on their heads. "We, umm... We fixed the droids?" 'Ben' closed his eyes briefly, then sent her a look, which she returned, the look of one besieged parent to another. Beru came through the door then. She stopped and just looked at the boys, who were beginning to squirm under the three-way scrutiny.  
  
"Look at the pair of you!" Beru exclaimed. "Come on, let's get you cleaned up. Don't touch any of the walls or furniture." With looks of relief at their temporary reprieve the two followed her, leaving Lanal and Ben alone.  
  
Lanal shook her head as she stared after them.  
  
"I've never known Biggs to get so filthy." She said, dazedly.  
  
"I think Luke has a talent for it," Ben offered. She turned to face him and looked at him, puzzled.   
  
"I don't think I've seen you before," she said, slowly.  
  
"Probably not," Ben agreed, smiling easily. "Though you've probably heard of me."  
  
"How so?" He looked at her a bit sheepishly.  
  
"I'm 'Crazy Old Ben'" Lana stepped back slightly, eyeing him narrowly. She wasn't one to judge people on what other people said normally, but still...  
  
"I assure you, Lanal." He said quietly, his smile gone. "But I am quite sane."  
  
"Forgive me," she said, still watching him. "But I find it hard to believe that some one who would willingly become a hermit out here is in full possession of his senses." Her eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Especially one that would drag a young boy into it!" She glared at him indignantly, daring him to deny it. Ben's face had hardened during her tirade, but now, as she watched, it drained away.  
  
"Perhaps I am not in 'full possession of my senses,'" he admitted. But few are, who are veterans of the Clone Wars."  
  
"What?" she asked, some of her anger draining away.  
  
"I was a pilot." He told her. I was in a lot of battles, and lost," he paused and swallowed then continued. "I lost a lot of friends. One was as dear to me as my own brother. Luke is his son. He has no living family, and as a last gift to my friend I promised to raise and care for him. But after all the carnage and destruction... I just wanted peace."  
  
"I'm sorry," Lanal whispered, ashamed.  
  
"It's alright," he told her, smiling painfully.   
  
"I'm going to see how Beru's getting along with Biggs." She told him. She turned and hurried into the interior of the house, blinking back sympathetic tears.  
  
Obi-Wan breathed a sigh as he looked after the departing figure of Lanal Darklighter, relieved that she had believed his 'lie' the voice broke into his train of thoughts. 'Lie, that's all you do now. Lie to people who could be your friend, lie to yourself, teach Luke to lie. And you lie to Luke about his fath-'  
  
"It is necessary!" Obi-Wan snapped aloud. 'It is necessary,' he repeated wearily in the silence of his mind. Necessary was the only answer he had for the voices   
that might laughingly be called his consciousness any more.  
  
"Necessary," he repeated softly aloud, starting off after Lanal. He could only hope, that when the time came for Luke to learn the truth, that he would forgive him.  
  
*******  
  
Owen Lars piloted his speeder deftly and with the ease of long practice into its accustomed place in front of the farmstead. He switched off the ignition and climbed out, glancing at the speeder parked next to it as he did so. Probably it belonged to one of the parents of the children Beru was always tutoring.  
  
Owen's gaze swept the front of the farm, coming to rest on a small, sopping wet boy though the water had begun to evaporate, sitting just out of the worst heat of the sun. Owen grunted, the moisture farmer in him rebelling at the idea of wasting even a minimal amount of water. The boy glanced up then, and Owen froze as a cold chill swept over him as icy blue eyes met his own. For a moment, the years fell away and he was seeing another boy with blue eyes and fair-hair as Obi-Wan introduced him.  
"Owen, Beru, this is my Padawan, Anakin Skywalker."  
  
Owen blinked as time reasserted itself, and then glared at the boy who looked away, more than a little spooked by his vision. Just then he heard voices from inside the house, dazedly he wondered if the vision was still continuing... Then a man stepped out of the house, and for a moment Owen wished it were still just a vision.   
  
"Obi-Wan," his voice was cold, non-committal. The Jedi looked around, startled, and Owen felt a flash of petty satisfaction that he could still surprise the great Jedi Master.  
  
"Owen," his voice matched his half-brothers, though it was not so cold. The boy, no longer dripping so much, glanced uncertainly at Owen, then moved up to   
Obi-Wan's side. Luke pressed into his master's robes, unsure why this man was affecting him so much, he just knew that he radiated hostility, directed against his master.   
  
The boy was glaring at him, Owen noted... suddenly a flash of realisation hit him and he glanced up at Obi-Wan.   
  
"This you're Padawan, then?" He asked. "I'm surprised you took another, after what happened to the last one." The flash of pain across Obi-Wan's face made Owen felt slightly ashamed of his remark. It had been a low blow, he admitted, even though he felt that Obi-Wan deserved all that, and more.   
  
"It has been a pleasure talking to you, Owen, as always." Obi-Wan's voice had settled into 'Jedi Diplomat' tone, not allowing any hint of feelings to come through. The Padawan was glancing back and forth between them, obviously confused.  
  
Footsteps on the stone floor broke the staring match between them as Beru hurried out, obviously having sensed the rising tension level. She glanced quickly Owen's way, then smiled determinedly at Obi-Wan.  
  
"It was good to see you, Ben," she said. Owen snorted at the comment, which she ignored. "So, we'll be seeing you most days, then? And Luke can help Biggs out with the droids in exchange for lessons."  
  
"What?" Owen broke in, looking back and forth between them, "What's this?"   
  
"Beru has kindly agreed to tutor Luke," Obi-Wan broke in, voice still Jedi calm.   
  
"And now I believe we have imposed on you far too long," He bowed slightly to Beru the boy, Luke, was it? Copying his movement and steered them both in the direction of the speeder.  
  
"Wait!" Owen called out, a premonition hitting him suddenly. "You, boy, what's your name?" Luke glanced back uncertainly from climbing into the speeder, surprised at the question.   
  
"Luke Skywalker," he replied. Owen's mouth dropped open.   
  
"Sky-skywalker!" he stuttered, staring alternately at his half-brother and the young boy who was looking at him, puzzled.  
  
"We're leaving." Ben said firmly, and the speeder shot forward before Owen could find his voice again. He turned slowly to look at his wife. Beru looked at him, warily. Owen's mouth opened and shut a couple of times before he could speak.  
  
"You-you agreed to 'tutor' him! You know what he 'is?'"  
  
"He is a innocent little boy," Beru said firmly, "In desperate need of a mothers love. And if you, Owen Lars, suggest that he is anything otherwise, or that I shouldn't give him that love, you will be sleeping in the garage!" Beru turned and marched firmly back into the house.   
  
Owen stared after her, fuming, but he knew that there was no changing her mind once it was set on something. He glared darkly out into the desert where the sunlight glinted off metal, a speeder heading home.   
  
"He's Vader's spawn," he muttered, then turned and made his way back into the house.  
  
********  
  
Obi-Wan was boiling mad. Owen! Owen, who had reacted to Luke like he was poison after learning his name. It had made Obi-Wan want strike of his head, darkside be damned! Obi-Wan took a deep breath, trying, with some small success, to release his anger into the Force. He glanced sideways at his Padawan. Luke was staring up at him, his eyes wide. He could feel the fear coming off his Padawan, and the fact that he was on the brink of tears. The rest of his anger vanishing, momentarily, Obi-Wan pulled the speeder to a halt, then reached over and drew his suddenly shaking Padawan into his arms. Luke burst into tears, burying his face into his tunic, his body shaking uncontrollably.  
  
*Shhh, it's alright Luke, it's alright.* Obi-wan sent lovingly along the bond, along with reassurance and a deep sense of safety.  
  
*Why-why...* Even in mind speech Luke's voice was choked. The helpless question came with a sudden clear memory of the revulsion that had come from Owen. Obi-Wan barely managed to suppress the resurgence of anger the memory brought. Anger would not help his Padawan he scolded himself harshly. But the impact of such a strong, negative emotion on Luke's Force-sensitive, but essentially untrained mind... Obi-Wan drew his Padawan's body closer against him, attempting to soothe the waves of pain and confusion coming off him.  
  
*Hush Padawan,* he murmured, *It's OK, it's OK*  
  
*Why?* The question came again, but Obi-Wan had no answer, or at least none that he could give, so he just held his Padawan, letting him feel his deep love for him, until Luke fell asleep. Obi-Wan looked down at him. He wanted to just hold him, to keep him safe; to not let any of the horror's of the Galaxy touch him. But, he knew that he could not shield Luke against them, and though he railed at his helplessness, he knew that he could only watch as sufferings he needed no Force-Vision to tell him the future held, were inflicted on his Padawan. And though he wished he could deny it to himself, he knew that many of them would be of his making.  
  
*******  
  
The wind of his passing whipped his hair back, tugged at his clothes. The adrenaline raced through his system, urging him on to even grater heights. The roar of the turbines pounded at his ears, sensitised to the slightest change in the engines pitch. The walls of Beggars Canyon whipped past, excitement shot through his veins as bullets of Tusken Raiders 'pinged' off his pod. He narrowed his eyes behind the protective goggles and jammed the controls forwards, his pod leapt, shooting past one of the stragglers. He twisted, turning the pod this way and that, avoiding rocky outcroppings, tightly focused on the task at hand. As he turned his pod sideways, the force of the acceleration pressing him into his seat, he wanted to scream for the pure joy of being in his element. Of flying. Breath caught in his throat and he forced himself to breath as the lead pod came into view. The cheating scumbag that was the pilot was a mere speck. His eyes narrowed, his thoughts focusing down to a point - 'Not "this" time'   
  
Then abruptly the scene changed.  
  
A battle raged. Three figures turned and twisted in a deadly dance to the music of clashing lightasbers. One fell, turning in the air to land gracefully on a lower walkway to that one where the other two fought. A leap no human could manage, then a flash of light and red-lit walls slide into place, separating the opponents, the partners. A moment, silent, when it seems that time has frozen still, and everything that is, ever was, and ever will be holds it's breath. A snap-hiss of noise and time restarts with an explosion of action as one lunges upwards and blades meet with a clash and the dance resumes, even as one player in this drama is caught as a helpless spectator. Blades meet and part, and it seems now less a dance, except maybe a dance of power as of old, to strike down enemies and to plea for aid. One moment, one simple second so that a blink of an eye might miss it but all the cosmos zooms in on- the warrior falls and a cry of grief splits the air. The second warrior, released moments too late rushes upon the third- and now the dance is one of vengeance, and its powering force is grief. Lightsabers clash, the dark warrior pressed back, the other holds him down, sneer of victory upon his face- an invisible force pushes him backwards, and he his falling, hands reaching out desperately, pointlessly... to grab a protruding piece of metal, and with a jar as that jolt shakes his body, the universe swings back into place for him. Even as the lightsaber tumbles end over end down the pit, sent by the dark warrior. A premonition of one of the many futures this moment may dictate. He cranes his neck back, to stare upwards into the face of the enemy. The face of a demon looks back, face patterned red and black, horns protruding from the skull. Mouth curled upwards in a sneer as hate-filled yellow eyes stare back and the blood-red lightsaber swings down and-   
  
Luke Skywalker bolted upright, shaking. He struggled out of the twisted bed sheets; sweat all ready chilling him in the Tatooine night air. Trembling still, he pressed his hands against his forehead as if to force the memories of the nightmare from his brain. Abruptly he turned and almost ran in the direction of his master's bedroom.  
  
Luke hesitated when he reached the door. He didn't want his master to think he was a baby, coming and waking him up because of a nightmare. His internal dilemma was solved as the hump under the bed-clothes moved and a sleepy voice asked,  
  
"Padawan?" Luke didn't hesitate any more, hurrying to the bed and burrowing under the covers. Obi-Wan looked down at his Padawan, a bit bemused, trying to clear the fogs of sleep from his brain. Voice gentle, he asked "You had a nightmare?" Luke nodded his head. "Do you want to talk about it?" He hesitated, then nodded, slowly. "OK, then. What happened?"  
  
"I was flying," he began, his voice hesitant. "It was wonderful, I was winning! But then, it was different, and, and there were three people fighting, but then one of them was k-killed, and the other couldn't get to him in time then the dark one knocked him down the pit and he swung the lightsaber and-" Luke's voice was coming faster and faster, Obi-Wan continued to stroke his back soothingly, offering reassurances through the bond- then he froze as a picture of the 'dark one' appeared in his mind. 'Darth Maul' he thought, stunned.   
  
"Padawan," he began slowly, "It wasn't a nightmare." Luke twisted to look up at him, eyes frankly disbelieving. Obi-Wan smiled reassuringly down at him. "It was a force vision." Except six-year olds don't get force visions... This wasn't the first time Luke, son of the Chosen One, had thrown him a curve like this. Luke stared up at him, eyes wide.  
  
"Then what I saw... it happened?" Obi-Wan nodded, and Luke shivered. "That's worse," he half-whispered.   
  
"It's OK, Luke," Obi-Wan murmured to him. Luke looked at him, accusatory.  
  
"You're saying that to make me feel better." He looked down at his hands again, still shaken even if he was trying to hide it. "Who 'was' the Dark One?" he murmured. Ben thought he wasn't meant to hear that, but he answered.  
  
"That was Darth Maul, a Sith," Luke looked up interested. He recognised the name 'Sith' from his lessons on the history of the Jedi, and the little his Master had told him on Darth Vader.   
  
"How do you know?" he asked. Obi-Wan smiled down at him.  
  
"I was one of the other two warriors in your vision," he told Luke. Luke's eyes widened.  
  
"So the one who died-" He began.  
  
"Was my Master, Qui-Gon Jinn." Ben confirmed. Luke nodded, slowly.   
  
"What about my other dream?" he asked. "The one where I was flying?"  
  
"I think that was probably just a dream," he said. "Unless..." a thought struck him. "What were you doing in that dream?" Luke looked at him, a bit confused, then his face cleared as he picked up Obi-Wan's meaning over the bond.  
  
"I think I was flying a pod," he said. "I was in a pod race." Obi-Wan chuckled.   
  
"Then you were dreaming of your Father," he said. Luke stared up at him in disbelief.  
  
"My Father was a Pod-Racer?" he asked. "But Biggs said that no human could do it!" He stopped suddenly as he remembered a thought he'd had a few days ago at the Lars' farm. "Then I was right!" He said excitedly "Jedi-Reflexes 'could' handle a pod-race!" Obi-Wan looked at his young Padawan in alarm, for more reasons then one.  
  
"Padawan, you are 'not' going to become a pod-racer." Luke scrunched up his nose.  
  
"Maasteer," he whined.  
  
"No," Obi-Wan said firmly. "Those races are deadly," And Vader would be sure to hear about the human boy who could race pods... He looked down at his pouting Padawan. "Tell you what," he compromised. "If you behave yourself, then when I can I'll take you to see one of the big races in Mos Espa, how about that?" Luke's face lit up.  
  
"Thank you, Master!" He threw his arms around Obi-Wan's middle and hugged him tight.  
  
"Ooof," Obi-Wan gasped, laughing. "Easy there, Luke, I have to breath!" Luke released him, still beaming. "Now, why don't you go on back to bed? On second thoughts," he added, seeing the flash of fear that crossed Luke's face, "Why don't you stay here?"   
  
"Thank you Master," Luke said quietly, snuggling under the covers. Obi-Wan smiled tenderly at his Padawan, settling himself down next to him.  
  
"Ben?" the voice was quiet.  
  
"Hmm?" Ben replied.  
  
"Tell me about Father?" Obi-Wan smiled a bitter-sweet smile in the darkness and let the memories drift up, using the good ones of the early years to chase away the darkness that would come later.  
  
"Your Father," he began, "Was a good friend. When I first knew him, he was already a great pilot, but I was amazed..."  
  
  
  
  
  
Well? Shall I continue?  



	2. Age Seven to Eight

Disclaimers in first chapter  
  
******  
  
Luke hopped out of the speeder and turned to regard it's pilot. Obi-Wan smiled at him.  
  
"Have a good day, Luke," he said. Luke grinned at him  
  
"I will, Ben," he replied.  
*And remember*, Ben continued along their bond.  
*Don't mention Jedi, Sith, or anything to do with the Force whatsoever,* Luke interrupted. *I know, I know, you've already told me, how many times was it again?* Ben smiled and reached out to ruffle his hair.  
  
"Once more can't hurt," he said. "I'll see you this afternoon then," Luke nodded and waved as Ben put the speeder into gear and pulled away. He took a deep breath, turned, and walked into the yard of Anchorhead School. He swept the grounds with his eyes, and with the Force, as he walked slowly through the massed throng. Young people of all sexes and species talked excitedly about the latest movies on the holonet, or extolled the benefits in the latest of the Sky Hopper line, or swapped last minute notes on homework. The barrage of emotions from so many different minds, far more than he was used to, caused Luke to hastily erect some mental shields, but not before catching a familiar presence among the mass.  
  
Luke grinned and started heading in the right general direction.  
  
"Biggs!" he yelled as his eyes landed on the familiar dark hair. The older boy turned at the sound of his name, then grinned as well as his gaze settled on his young friend.  
  
"Luke!" He exclaimed, making his way over. "How are you doing?"  
  
"OK," Luke replied, smiling at his best friend.  
  
"Well?" Biggs asked. "Has Ben set a date to take you to the Podraces yet?" The question had become almost a ritual between the two since Luke had told him about Ben's promise to take him to the Podraces.  
  
"No," Luke replied, shaking his head in disgust. "There's always some reason to why we can't go." Biggs nodded in sympathy.  
  
"That's the way it is with grown-ups," he said wisely. He looked around the crushed yard then grabbed Luke's hand.  
  
"Come on," he said. "I'll introduce you to the gang."  
  
"The gang?" Luke asked, allowing himself to be pulled into a more sheltered corner of the yard.  
  
"Yep," Biggs said, stopping in front of two boys about their age who looked up as they approached. "Deak, Windy, this is Luke. Luke, this is Deak and Windy." He plopped down next to them, tugging Luke down with him. "Where's Fixer?"   
  
"Not here," Windy said. Biggs shrugged.  
  
"No big loss," he said. He looked over to Luke's questioning gaze. "Fixer's a bit of a jerk," he explained. Windy snorted.  
  
"A bit...?" He murmured. Luke looked around the group.  
  
"He doesn't sound very... nice?" he ventured. Deak shook his head.  
  
"He's a bully," he said. "But if you can prove he can't mess you around, then he's OK." Biggs didn't say anything, but Luke got the impression that he didn't agree.  
  
"So," Windy continued, changing the subject, "Where do you live? I mean, Anchorhead's not exactly Corucscant. Do you live on one of the farms?"   
  
"Not exactly," Luke said cautiously, anticipating their reaction. "I live with old Ben."  
  
"Ben?" Windy gaped at him. Deak just stared. "You mean that cra-"  
  
"Hold it!" Biggs yelled, throwing his arm up, "You don't want to insult Ben in Luke's presence," he explained to the two puzzled boys. "At least," he grinned, "Unless you want to die a painful, horrible death." Luke sent a glare in his direction, which he ignored, so he spoke, smirking.  
  
"And of course you know that for yourself, don't you, Biggs?" Biggs was now looking uncomfortable and Windy and Deak were grinning.  
  
"Well hello guys," a sarcastic voice intruded. Biggs assumed a weary expression.  
  
"Hello, Fixer," he said. Twisting round, Luke saw a big boy, about Biggs' age, with a scowl that he suspected was permanent etched in his face. Standing next to him was a young girl, who kept herself close to him, invading his personal space, though he didn't seem to mind. Fixer noticed Luke just then.  
  
"Who's this," he sneered, "A snivelling Farmboy?" Luke decided promptly that he didn't like Fixer at all.  
  
"No," Biggs said, voice tight. "This is Luke, he lives with Old Ben," he added smugly. That piece of information certainly had an effect on Fixer.  
  
"What?" he gasped. "That crazy old hermit?" Luke absently wondered if Fixer would like being suspended form the roof for the rest of the day... Biggs glanced warily at his friend, obviously expecting him to blow up. Luke smiled at him slightly, reassuring, then looked to the girl.  
  
"What's your name?" he asked.  
  
"Camie," she answered automatically, then her eyes widened and she looked sideways quickly at her companion. Fixer was swelling up with anger.  
  
"Are you ignoring me?" he grated out. Luke glanced coolly at him.  
  
"I didn't know that you had said anything worth answering," He said calmly. Fixer gave a roar and swung a punch at Luke. Luke sensed it coming and ducked quickly, sweeping his leg out and dumping Fixer on the ground on his back. There were gasps from the crowd that had gathered, and some scattered clapping. Luke looked down at Fixer, feeling satisfaction at his triumph. He immediately felt guilty of that. You shouldn't take pride in this. His thought sounded like his master's voice. I was defending myself, he argued back. But you provoked the situation. The voice continued calmly. Luke sighed inwardly in exasperation. I can't even escape you here, can I, Ben? He thought. Swallowing his pride, he leaned down and offered his hand to Fixer.  
  
"Look." He began. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" Fixer grabbed Luke's arm and pulled down. Luke landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath.  
  
"Idiot," he heard Fixer, mutter as he moved away. Wincing, he got up into a sitting position, holding his painful chest. Biggs squatted down next to him, face concerned.   
  
"Are you alright?" he asked. Luke nodded, more annoyed with himself that he hadn't sensed Fixer's purpose than he was hurt.  
  
"I'm OK," he said, levering himself up. "Just a bit sore." He grimaced, rubbing at his chest. Deak was looking at him curiously.   
  
"Why did you offer to help him up?" he asked. Luke shrugged  
  
"It was my fault," he said simply. "The fight." Biggs shook his head disgustedly.  
  
"Fixer gets into every fight he can." He said. "He does it to impress people."  
  
"And Camie," Windy added with a smirk.   
  
"That goes without saying," Biggs grinned. "Anyway," he continued. "Do you want to come over to the bars and-" The ringing of a bell cut through the chatter of the yard.  
  
"First Dayers!" A slim Twi'leck woman called. "Over here." Luke turned back to them.   
  
"That's my cue." He smiled. "I'll see you a Lunch?"   
  
"See you!" Biggs called, and Windy and Deak echoed him as Luke turned and made his way to join the gathering group around the Twi'leck.  
  
********   
  
Luke plopped down onto the seat behind the desk assigned to him and looked around the classroom with interest. The Twi'leck woman, Miss Lerel, had taken them on a tour around the school, pointing out the various classrooms, and where the toilets were, for example. Luke found it... uncomfortable, to be part of a group being taught, instead of being the only one, or one of two as it was with his Master or with Aunt Beru, as he had taken to calling her. He turned his attention back to the front of the class with interest as their teacher walked in.  
  
"Good day class," she smiled.  
  
"Good day Miss Mires," the class chorused monotonously in reply, and Luke suppressed a grimace.  
  
"This is your first day," Miss Mires said, looking round with a smile plastered on her face.   
  
"So naturally all of you are going to be feeling a bit scared," Luke bit back a laugh. Most of the kids were a bit unsure or nervous, but the only one his senses could identify as 'scared' was Miss Mires herself, at being in charge of 'terrified little kids on their first day.' She was talking again and Luke pulled his attention back. "Now," she was saying. "We're just going to do a bit of galactic History, most of which you probably know already, just to start of easily, OK?" Again the plastered on smile, and the tone of voice one would use for talking to four year olds. 'I'm eight years old!' Luke thought indignantly. 'OK,' he amended to himself, 'nearly eight.'   
  
He listened as Miss Mires started talking about the fall of the Republic, and the rise of the 'glorious' Empire, with mounting incredulity. 'That's not true!' he thought indignantly as she described the Jedi Knights as a group of old, ignorant, band, who had too much power that they used unwisely. Luke began to absently unravel the hem of her skirt, practicing his fine-tune control of the Force. She went on to describe how the Republic had not done anything to prevent the dreadful Clone Wars, how it had grinded to a halt, how it had been falling to pieces from within, leaving it as 'Our Great Emperor Palpatine's' duty to take control to prevent galaxy wide chaos. Luke regarded the woman indignantly. Ben had told him that while it was true that the Senate was falling into anarchy- whatever that meant, he wasn't quite sure- it had certainly not been at all as bad as Miss Mires was making out. He also noticed she had avoided any reference to the Jedi Purge.  
  
"Now," Miss Mires went on brightly. "If you could all take out your datapads..." Luke opened his desk and pulled out an old-model all-purpose datapad, and switched it on. A simple exercise came up on the screen. "Could you do the exercise that has come up on your screen, then, so we can have an idea of where you are. If you need any help, just put your hand up, OK?" A few people put their hands up straight away, and Miss Mires moved to help them. Luke ran his eyes over the exercise. It was fairly simple, nothing more then Ben had ever set him, anyway. He considered the idea of tilting the datapad that Miss Mires had left on her desk with the Force, so he could view the answers, but dismissed the idea quickly, feeling slightly guilty at having considered it. Anyway, the questions were easy, a collection of writing, maths, and some science. He finished it quite quickly and looked around. Some of the others had finished as well, others were struggling. Luke looked back at his datapad, then turned it upside down. He began mixing and matching numbers together, trying to create words. By the time the bell rang for lunch, he had figured out how to make, 'Hello' 'Here' 'Shell' and a few others in a mismatched hodgepodge of upper and lower case letters. He quickly deleted them and laid the datapad down on his desk.   
  
"OK, class," Miss Mires smile was starting to wilt a bit around the edges. "You may go to Lunch. Don't leave the school grounds, and if there is any trouble find a teacher." There was a rush for the door and Miss Mires stepped back hurriedly, stumbling over her suddenly too long skirt. Luke bit the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning and followed the crowd to the cafeteria.  
  
After collecting his lunch- an unappetising looking lump of mush- Luke tried to track down Biggs and the others. He eventually found them in an empty classroom, gathered round a ball game, plates full of uneaten mush next to them. Biggs, Deak, Windy, and- he tried not to make a face- Camie and Fixer. Fixer reminded Luke off the stories Obi-Wan told him of his rival when he was about his age growing up in the temple- though Luke found it difficult to picture his Master at his age- called Bruck. He had always refused to tell Luke what had happened to him in the end, though. Luke assumed he had died in the Purge.  
  
"Luke!" Biggs bounced up eagerly, grabbing his arm then pulling him down to sit next to him.   
  
"We've been waiting for you."  
  
"Why?" Luke asked, setting his mush to one side with relief.   
  
"We need sets of partners for this game," Deak explained. "You're with Biggs."   
  
"Alright," Luke said, studying the board. There was a trail printed on it, with various pitfalls, a pile of cards, three counters and two dice. "How do we play?"   
  
"What?" Fixer sneered, "The Farmboy so poor he's never seen a board game before?" Luke glanced at the older boy, then looked away. He realised that he and Fixer would never be friends, though they might tolerate each other. Fixer would never forget that he had shown him up in the yard. Biggs glared at him.   
  
"Come on," he said curtly, glancing back at Luke. "Let's play." After explaining the rules the game settled down a bit as Luke and Biggs, Deak and Windy, and Fixer and Camie, though still with some insulting comments about either Luke or Ben thrown in at regular intervals by Fixer.  
  
By the end of lunch break the mush was still uneaten though there were some rumbling stomachs, and Luke and Biggs were surging ahead, Windy and Deak comfortably in the middle, while Fixer and Camie were dragging along at the end. 'There's a reason why they didn't allow Jedi in casinos,' Luke thought smugly, moving his hand slightly and guiding the dice to land on yet another unfavourable combination for Fixer.  
  
An afternoon of more boring classes followed, though they had a more interesting teacher then before, and then it was the end of the day. The yard was a crush once more as Luke shoved his way through to the line of speeders.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow Luke!" A voice yelled and he turned and waved to Biggs, before emerging from the press of people and climbing into the speeder and settling himself down. Ben turned the speeder on and started edging out of the crowd.  
  
"How was your day, Luke?" he asked.  
  
"It was OK," Luke shrugged nonchalantly, carefully shielding the incidents with Fixer and his slightly unethical use of the Force. Obi-Wan glanced down at him and raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I think you might use an extra hour of meditation, tonight, Padawan." He said. "You need to calm down after your day." Luke bit back a whine. Of course his Master knew he had done something wrong, even if he didn't know exactly what it was. The shields told him that, he didn't know how to shield the fact that he was shielding yet. Luke sighed but wisely didn't protest. They had past back out into the desert proper now, speeding between Dunes.  
  
"You know," Luke began idly, "It's my Birthday in a few days."  
  
"Really!" Obi-Wan said, eyes widening, "You know, I had completely forgotten!" Luke sat bolt upright in a panic and then glared at him.  
  
"Master!" he whined. Ben laughed.  
  
"Don't worry Luke," he said, "I haven't forgotten."  
  
"What have you got me?" he asked eagerly.  
  
"Now Luke, you'll have to wait till your Birthday to find out." Luke slumped back down on his seat pouting.   
  
"I can't wait that long," he said.  
  
"A Jedi must always be patient," he pointed out.  
  
"Except for Birthdays," Luke muttered. Obi-Wan's laughter filled the speeder and trailed behind them across the sands.  
  
*******  
  
Obi-Wan slipped up to his Padawan's room and peered round the doorway. A soft smile formed on his face as he looked in on the young boy. Luke was sleeping peacefully, the sheets twisted every which way indicating that that was a resent development. Obi-Wan sighed softly. It was almost a shame to wake him up but...   
  
"Padawan," he called quietly so as not to startle him. No response. "Luke." Louder now, still no reaction. Ben sighed again and crossed over to the bed. Placing his hand on Luke's shoulder, he shook him firmly. That seemed to have the desired affect. Bleary eyes blinked up at him.  
  
"Master?" his voice was sleep slurred.   
  
"Time to get up, Padawan." Obi-Wan said cheerfully. Luke shifted so he could look at the chromo and his eyes widened.  
  
"It's three in the morning Master!" he exclaimed loudly.  
  
"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded, trying to hide a smile. "Time to get up." Luke slumped back down on the bed, trying to pull the sheets up and glowering down at them when they refused to cooperate.  
  
"Why?"   
  
"Because I said so." Obi-Wan stood up from his sitting position on the bed and moved over to the door. "Now get dressed, clean clothes are over your chair." Luke stared at him suddenly as his sleep-fogged brain started functioning again.  
  
"Master," he said slowly, "It's my Birthday." Ben nodded.   
  
"I am aware of that, Padawan." He said. Luke looked at him, exasperated.  
  
"Shouldn't people get lie-ins on their Birthdays?"  
  
"Most likely," Obi-Wan nodded, and there was a definite smile playing around his lips. "Now, get up, Padawan. You can eat in the speeder."   
  
"The speeder!" Luke exclaimed, staring at him. "Master, where are we going?" Obi-Wan just gave him that same, smug, small smile.   
  
"Get dressed, Padawan." He said, leaving.  
  
Luke stared after him, exploding with curiosity. Reaching out, he found that Obi-Wan had put up shields across his end of their bond, so he could not get even a 'hint' of what he was up to.  
  
"Argh!" Luke shouted, throwing himself back down onto the bed. His master could be so 'infuriating!'  
  
*******  
  
Obi-Wan pulled the speeder up in front of the Darklighter's residence in Anchorhead. Luke raised his head sleepily.  
  
"Are we there yet where ever we're going, Master?" he asked sarcastically. Obi-Wan couldn't prevent a small chuckle escaping.  
  
"Go back to sleep, Padawan," he told him. Luke, grumbling, obeyed, settling back down on the back seat of the speeder. Obi-Wan grinned at the steady stream of mumbling, now muffled, coming from the boy. I don't think any Padawan's are happy moving before they have had at least eight hours sleep, he noted wryly. He could certainly recall many occasions like that between himself and Qui-Gon.   
  
Ben swung himself easily from the speeder, making his way to the Darklighter's door and knocking softly. Now that the speeder had stopped it seemed almost sacrilegious, somehow, to break the stillness of the night air. The door opened and Lanal Darklighter looked out, and smiled.  
  
"Ben," she greeted softly.  
  
"Lanal," he smiled in return. They had become good friends over the last couple of years, usually talking while waiting for their respective charges to emerge from the school, or at the beginning waiting while the two young friends finished messing around in the Lars' garage. "Is Biggs ready?" he asked. Lanal smiled.  
  
"Yes," she laughed slightly. "He's demanding to know what is going on." Obi-Wan grinned as well.  
  
"So is Luke," he said. Lanal shook her head in bewilderment.  
  
"I honestly don't know who you managed that," she said. "That boy has a reputation for finding out things you'd rather not him, or anyone else in their little group, knew about."  
  
"He is precocious that way," Ben agreed while making a mental note to have a little talk with Luke about the need to keep a low profile even on such distant planet as this from the centre of Imperial control. "Do you mind this at all?" he asked, changing the subject deftly. Lanal grinned.   
  
"Not at all." She said. "Maybe now he'll give me some peace about the whole thing."  
  
"I doubt it," Obi-Wan laughed. "This little trip will probably double both of their enthusiasm for the subject." Lanal raised her hands in mock horror.  
  
"No please!" she half gasped, half laughed, "Spare me the terror!" Ben laughed with her before she suddenly became more serious. "You promise to look after him carefully?" She said, narrowing her eyes sternly at him. Obi-Wan nodded sombrely.  
  
"I will," he promised. "You can be sure I won't let either of them out of my sight."   
  
"Mom?" A sleepy voice asked then and Obi-Wan looked past Lanal to see a fully dressed Biggs shuffling towards them. "What's Ben doing here?" Lanal ignored the question and knelt down in front of Biggs, adjusting his clothing.  
  
"Now, you be a good boy for Ben, do you understand?" she said. "Do everything he tells you." Biggs looked at her in bewilderment.   
  
"Come on then, young Biggs," Obi-Wan said, placing a hand on Biggs' shoulder and steering him towards the waiting speeder, the door shut behind them and he was helping him into the speeder before Biggs came out of his daze, and Luke woke up.  
  
"Luke!" Biggs exclaimed, settling down next to his friend. "What's going on?"   
  
"I have absolutely no idea," Luke's response drifted forward to him as he grinned and put the speeder into gear and pulled away.  
  
*******   
  
Ben smiled in relief as he pulled his speeder into one of the few empty spaces available. Turning, he regarded the two sleeping boys curled up together in the back of the speeder.  
  
"Luke, Biggs," he called, nudging then awake. The two sat up, yawning, rubbing the sleep from their eyes- then they gaped as they saw their surroundings. More people then either of them had every seen before in their lives thronged the streets. Vendors shouted their wares, eopies moaned, Jawas jabbered. Speeders of many different makes zoomed down the streets, the noise was overwhelming. The two of them turned gaping faces back to Obi-Wan, who smiled.  
"Welcome," he said, "To Mos Espa and the Podraces." The friends stared at him for a moment, then their faces broke into identical, wide grins, and Obi-Wan suddenly had a very bad feeling about this.  
  
********  
  
The streets of Mos Eisley were crushed with denizens from many of the settlements of Tatooine and of the surrounding systems. Known and strange languages collided together in a deafening cacophony of sounds. The heat of the twins suns pounded down on the exposed streets as speeders of all makes whooshed past, stirring up clouds of sand and dust in their backwash. Stalls and open fronted shops lined the streets, brightly coloured awnings flapping. Droids hurried by on missions for their respective master's. And a whole range of species and races pushed against each othr, curses and insults exchanged freely, about the only thing thst was.  
  
Obi-Wan staggered as a rodian slammed into as it barged its way past. Struggling to keep his feet he tried simultaneously to watch out for pickpockets and his two young charges. His command to 'stay close to me and don't wander off' had been obeyed for precisely five seconds, before a Strashi dreaded in full ceremonial garb had caught there collective eyes and they had rushed of to gawk. At least he did not have to worry that they were being rude- the Strashi would not have worn his full regalia off his homeworld unless he had intended to become the centre of attention. Unfortunately, various other worries that had beset Obi-Wan since he had climbed out of their speeder, leaving it in the hands of a Twi'leck who would make sure it was still there when they returned if he wished to see his credits. Since then, though, the two terrors had done everything but stay next to him and do what he said.  
  
Obi-Wan scanned the crowd desperately, searching for a glimpse of the pair he had rashly proposed to Lanal he would take to the Podraces. He could sense that Luke was near, thanks to their bond, (and the number of times he had thanked the Force that it existed in the last half hour he had lost count of.) He could also catch a sense of Biggs' presence, never far from Luke's. Determindly, Obi-Wan began to push through the crowd to the place where he sensed them- then bit back a groan as the two hyper-active minds suddenly shifted and moved swiftly in the opposite direction.   
* Luke Skywalker,* he sent sternly over the bond. * Come back here this instant.* With a sinking heart Ben realised that Luke had raised his shields tightly, and of course he wouldn't be able to hear his master yelling, and Obi-Wan was sure that he would be extremely sorry for that fact when he managed to track him down.   
  
Obi-Wan swiped at his brow, trying to wipe some of the sweat away. He was sweating, and it wasn't even mid-day yet! He pushed through the crowds, worry lines creasing his forehead as he tried not to imagine the many different types of trouble his Padawan could manage to get into out here. He could feel a headache coming on, probably a combination of heat and stress. 'When I get my hands on him,' Obi-Wan thought grimly, 'I'm going to...'   
  
"Ben!" a high young voice called, splitting the din that had by now faded into the background somewhat, like white noise.  
  
"Luke!" Obi-Wan started pushing through the crowd, digging his elbows into sides as he pushed through. At last he emerged into a relatively clear space, to find Luke and Biggs standing side by side in front of one of the stalls, looking up at him with angelically innocent faces, direct contrast to the harassed expression he knew was displayed on his own face. He glanced sideways at the stall owner, an old human woman whose skin was sun worn and wrinkled and who looked at him sympathetically.  
  
Obi-Wan looked down at his two charges and took a deep breath, about to start in on them, but Luke beet him to it.  
"Ben," he asked innocently, "Could we please buy some Kalla fruits?"  
  
"Please?" Biggs added his plea. Ben stared at them, trying to hang on to some sense of reality.  
  
"Do you two remember," he began tightly, "Being asked to stay next to me, and not to do wondering off?" " The two terrors glanced at each other.  
  
"Ummm..." they said simultaneously.  
  
"That's what I thought." Ben said sternly, "And so the answer is no, you may not buy any Kalla fruits."   
  
"B-but, Ben..." Obi-Wan glanced down and that was his undoing. Luke was staring up at him, lips quivering slightly and eyes shining with tears. "I-it's my Birthday...." Ben glanced helplessly at the stallholder. She only grinned and made a slight gesture, clearly stating that he was on his own with this one. He looked helplessly looked back at his Padawan; the tears were threatening to spill over now, and Biggs was glaring at him with an accusing look on his face. Ben closed his eyes briefly. 'I can't believe this' he thought. 'General Kenobi, hero of the Clone Wars, defeated by an eight-year-old boy!'  
  
"Alright!" he acquiesced. Any hint of tears dried up immediately.  
  
"Thanks Ben!" Luke said happily as he and Biggs crowded next to the stall to select the best Kalla fruit. Obi-Wan stared at him as he felt smug satisfaction and triumph drifting to him along the bond. Groaning softly he leant against the stall, glancing back at its holder.  
  
"I don't suppose you have anything for a headache?" He asked. Laughing silently she shook her head before turning her attention back to the boys and serving their selections,  
  
"Great," Obi-Wan muttered, fumbling in his robe to fork out the necessary money. For some reason, he had the feeling that events on this trip were going to get worse before they got better  
  
*******  
  
*******   
  
Luke stuffed the last of the Kalla fruit into his mouth and started licking the sweet stickiness off his fingers, looking around himself as he did so. The number of minds and emothions were... overwhelming. His shields to stop others finding him had been perfected at the early age of four, but he was not so adept at shielding himself from the barrage of so many sentient creatures thoughts and desires.   
  
He could feel his master, though, shielding him from the worst and allowing him to become acclimatised to the blitz. He looked sideways at his friend. Biggs was just finishing off his Kalla fruit as well, not having gobbled it quite as fast as Luke had, and was now also 'cleaning' his fingers.   
  
"Luke." A firm voice intruded. Glancing up he saw Obi-Wan offering ihm a tissue to wipe his fingers with. "You too, Biggs," Ben added. Luke took the tissue, finished licking the Kalla fruit juice off his fingers, then dried his hands and wiped his mouth. Out of the corner of his eye he could see BIggs doing the same.   
  
Luke felt a long suffering sigh steal into his mind.   
*That wasn't exactly what I meant, Padawan,* Obi-Wan's 'voice' said. Luke's only answer was to grin up at him. Then, as one, he and Biggs offered him their damp, sticky tissues.   
  
Obi-Wan stared down at them in mild disgust.   
  
"I certainly don't want those now," he said. "Why don't you find somewhere to throw them away?" The two young terrors glanced at each other, then looked back at him with identical grins on their faces.   
  
"OK!" They chorused, and dashed off.   
  
Mouth open, Obi-Wan stared after them in disbelief, then groaned and closed his eyes briefly.   
  
"You would think that by now I would have learnt to think before I speak," he murmured. Opening his eyes he took off after them yelling, "Luke! Biggs!"   
  
  
Pausing, Obi-Wan looked around frantically. Suddenly his eyes fell on the Pod Hanger. 'Of course,' he thought, 'where else would two Pod-Race mad boys go?' Making his way over, he stepped into the hanger's cool interior.  
  
******  
  
Luke looked around in fascination as he and Biggs threaded their way through the various Pods and pilots. The smell of engine oil and Eopie hung in the air. He glanced over his shoulder as he spotted a speeder delivering a pilot and maintenance crew to the hanger... and slammed into someone.  
  
"O-oh!" he stuttered staring up. Biggs had frozen beside him and was also looking up nervously. The being he had run into was a Horrton, humanoid though with multiple fingers and joints, and though Luke had to admit the perpetual frown he wore was a bit scary, he felt that he was really quite nice.  
  
"Hello there," the Horrton chuckled. He squatted down and grinned at them. "Are you here to see the race?"  
  
"Yes!" Luke nodded his head excitedly. "My name is Luke, and this is my friend Biggs,"   
  
"Well, Luke, Biggs, my name is Morrdin," he smiled at them, "Are you here for the race?" he asked. Luke felt Biggs relax a bit.  
  
"Yes," Biggs answered him. Luke felt his gaze drawn behind Morrdin... and felt his mouth drop at the sight of a Pod. His eyes snapped back to the Horrton.  
  
"Are you a pilot?" he asked. Morrdin chuckled slightly.  
  
"Yes," he admitted.  
  
"Wow," the two boys murmured as one, staring at him with hero-worshipping expressions.  
  
"Have you ever won a race?" Luke asked excitedly. Morrdin shook his head.  
  
"No," he said, "But I have come in second a few times."  
  
"What are your colours?" Biggs took over interrogating him.   
  
"Yellow, white and gold." Morrdin told him. "My wife- that's her over there," he nodded in her direction over their shoulders and the two boys turned to look, "She'll carry my flag during the presentation before the race." As Biggs continued to grill Morrdin on his previous races, Luke wandered over to look at the Pod itself. He ran a hand over the smooth outside, and then stood on tiptoe to try to get a look at the controls.  
  
Suddenly he felt two hands under his arms,  
  
"Whoa!" he yelped as he was swung into the air and sat down in the cockpits seat.   
  
"There," he looked sideways at Morrdin's grinning face. "Is that better?" Luke just stared at him with an awestruck expression, then turned back to examine the controls as Morrdin bent down to pick Biggs up, balancing him on his hip so he could see as well. Luke ran a light hand over the controls, careful not to knock anything out of place. He was struck by a sudden feeling of familiarity, as if knowledge of what each button and knob was called and did was just at the edge of his mind.  
  
He looked up as Morrdin leant in to point to each of the controls.   
"See?" he said, "That one their controls the turbines and its called the..." Luke and Biggs both leaned forward eagerly for a lesson in a Pods controls, though Biggs kept casting little envious glances at Luke for his seat. Morrdin was incredibly patient, pointing out each of the controls and explaining them simply but in detail, and answering all of their many questions.  
  
"Morrdin," Biggs asked suddenly, "Have you got any kids?" Luke's head whipped round at the sudden pain and grief he sensed from him. Morrdin shook his head.  
  
"No," he said, rather hoarsely. Impulsively Luke leaned forward and put one of his small hands over Morrdin's many fingered ones.  
  
"I think you would have made a great Father," he said. Morrdin smiled and reached over to ruffle his hair.  
  
"And I think some sentient is very lucky to be your father," Luke looked down slightly.  
  
"My Dad's dead," he said quietly. "I live with Ben," A gentle touch on his arm prompted him to look up to meet Morrdin's compassionate purple gaze.  
  
"I'm sorry," he told him softly. Luke looked at him wide eyed. He could sense genuine sympathy radiating from him, proving that his words were truly meant. Because he could sense people's real feelings, the platitudes that most adults mouthed when they heard that just made him feel even more like an orphan.  
  
"Thank you," he said quietly. Morrdin smiled sadly at him and Biggs looked a bit embarrassed.  
  
"Here," he said suddenly. He set Biggs down and began rummaging in his bag, which was lying on the floor. Luke looked over the side of the Pod to watch.  
  
"Ah, here we are," Morrdin exclaimed with satisfaction. He pulled a handheld viewer out of the bag. "Each entrant is issued with one of these," he explained to the two boys, "For their friends and families to use to watch the race. "Here," he held it out to Biggs. "I want you two to have it."  
  
Biggs' mouth dropped open and he took it tentatively, as if it might disappear if he breathed too hard. Luke looked at Morrdin anxiously.  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Of course!" Morrdin winked. "Just make sure you cheer for me in the race."  
  
"We will!" Biggs promised, hugging the viewer to himself. Luke nodded, hard.  
  
"Definitely!"  
  
*******  
  
Obi-Wan looked around frantically, searching among the crowds and machines for his two charges. 'Where are they?' he wondered, stressed. Catching a whiff of Luke's presence through the bond, he started hurriedly in that direction- only to slam into an unyielding chest.  
  
Rebounding, he looked up into the smirking face of an Arshtan.  
  
"And where do you think 'you're' going?" He asked, raising an eyebrow, or rather, where an eyebrow would be if Arshtans had any eyebrows, and folding all four of his arms menacingly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Obi-Wan spoke hurriedly, raising his hands peaceably, too much in a hurry to be more diplomatic than that. "But I really need to get going." He started to move forward again but one of the Arshtan's hands on his chest stopped him.  
  
"I don't think so," he growled, backing Obi-Wan up. The senses of two more beings intruded on Ben's Force perception of the immediate vicinity, and he risked a glance back to see a Human and a Twi'leck, identical in the amount of brawn they carried on their frames.  
  
He swallowed hard and looked back to the Arshtan in front of him. A simple Force suggestion would... except that Arshtans were like Toydorians in that they were immune to mind tricks. Obi-Wan thought longingly of his lightsaber which he had left at home so as to be less noticeable; but of course actually using it would be equivalent to holding a big neon sign above his head, flashing 'Jedi Here.'  
  
Ben glanced 'round at his three opponents. 'Oh, well,' he sighed mentally and prepared himself for the fight.  
  
"Hey! K'lek!" an authorative voice shouted. Startled, all four of the soon to be combatants turned around.  
  
"Morrdin," the Arshtan who, Obi-Wan assumed, was K'lek said warily. "What are you doing here?" Ben risked taking his eyes of him to glance at his... rescuers? And stared.  
  
Standing on either side of the alien, Morrdin, was the two boys he had been tearing his hair out looking for. He could 'feel' Luke's smirk over their bond.  
  
"I think the question is, K'lek," their companion continued, "What are 'you' doing here?" K'lek muttered something to his companions and they slunk off. Obi-Wan tracked them with his eyes to make sure they actually left, and then grimly made his way over to his 'saviours.'  
  
"Thanks, Morrdin," he could hear Luke's voice saying as he got nearer. "He's always getting himself into messes like this."  
"It's no problem, Luke. Just try to keep him out of trouble, all right? Mos Espa can be a dangerous place."  
  
"We will!" the two young voices promised simultaneously as Ben, spluttering, came up next to them.  
  
"Ben!" Luke turned excitedly to him, "This is Morrdin, he's a Podracer!" Obi-Wan noticed the shine of pure hero-worship in his Padawan's eyes, and felt a tiny twinge of jealousy.  
  
"And look!" Biggs shoved a viewer at his face. "He gave us this so we could watch him race!"  
  
"All right, you two," Morrdin laughed. "I have to go finish prepping my Pod for the race. Don't forget to cheer for me, alright?"  
  
"We won't!" the two terrors chorused. Morrdin grinned and ruffled their hair, and then glanced at Obi-Wan.  
  
"They're great kids," he commented, and then made his way back to what Ben assumed was his Pod.  
  
Obi-Wan turned to face his two charges, and was immediately bombarded by their excited descriptions of what had been happening to them. Ben groaned softly and started ushering them towards the hangar doors.  
  
******  
  
Obi-Wan squinted as he stepped outside into the bright sun after the dim lighting of the hanger. Luke and Biggs continued babbling at him, never seeming to pause to draw breath, as he herded them in the correct direction. He felt a brief stab of pain at his heart as he remembered Anakin's obsession with anything that went fast and could be raced.  
  
Gradually, Ben became aware that Luke and Biggs were silent. Blessed silence. He looked down at them.  
  
"What?" he asked.  
  
"What's that?" Luke repeated, pointing at a small building. Obi-Wan glanced over at it.  
  
"That's a betting booth," he told them. Biggs drew in an excited breath.  
  
"Ben, please can we bet on Morrdin?" Luke whipped around, eyes shining.  
  
"Oh, yes Ben, please?"  
  
"No." Ben told them. *Besides,* he added to Luke along the Bond, *Jedi don't gamble*  
  
*Qui-Gon did,* Luke pointed out instantly.  
  
"Please!" Biggs echoed Luke's spoken words.  
  
"No," Ben said firmly.  
  
Luke pouted at him.  
  
"No."  
  
*******  
  
Obi-Wan stumbled along the row of seats above the arena, his arms overflowing with various types of foodstuffs and drinks. Luke and Biggs scrambled along ahead of him, Biggs holding the viewer they had somehow managed to con off Morrdin, while Luke clutched their betting chips. And those were the 'only things that they were carrying.  
  
Obi-Wan raised his eyes to the sky and mouthed 'Why me?' to the galaxy in general as they found themselves some empty seats and plopped themselves down on them.  
  
  
*********  
  
Music spilled out over the arena and Luke craned his neck around eagerly to catch sight of the commentators' box. Near to it was a box that the program they had picked up had told them was where Jabba the Hutt and his attendants would watch the race from during huge events such as the Boonta Eve race. Luke smiled to himself, remembering what Obi-Wan had told him- that his Father had won that race when he was nine. 'Only one year older then me' he thought.   
  
Absentmindedly he plunged his hand into the paper bag of nut-crunch he and Biggs had nagged Ben into buying- and only hit a few crumbs. Luke turned to glare indignantly at his friend.  
  
"You ate all the nut-crunch!" he accused. Biggs glared back at him.  
  
"No I didn't," he claimed, "You must have eaten it all!"  
  
"Already?" Luke turned to look pleadingly at his master. "Ben..." he whined. Obi-Wan's face wore a besieged expression.   
  
"Look," he spoke hurriedly, "I'll give you another bag now to share, and I'll buy you another one after the race, OK?" Luke and Biggs considered this.  
  
"OK," they said in identical reluctant tones, taking the offered bag, then bending once more over the program.  
  
Luke's head jerked back up as a few minutes later coarse magnified huttese roared out over the noise of the 100,000 seated spectators announcing the appearance of the flags. It was followed almost immediately by the basic translation, not that Luke or Biggs needed it. They had learnt huttese at a young age as the Hutts were the overlords of Tatooine, and it was a useful language to understand. Obi-Wan was also teaching Luke some other common languages in the galaxy, in between the Jedi history, Jedi Code and theory, the practical uses of the Force, unbiased Galactic History and current politics.   
  
Luke considered language studies to be nothing short of torture. Current Politics were sheer torture.  
  
Now, though, he leaned with Biggs over the railings, squinting to catch a glimpse of Morrrdin's colours. Luke watched as the flags marched across the raked sand of the arena, carried by a variety of humanoids, aliens and droids. A sudden thought struck him.  
  
*Ben, * he sent. Obi-Wan's reply was wary,  
  
*Yes, Luke? * Luke stifled a giggle at Ben's tone of 'voice.'  
  
*What was fathers colours? * His Master's relief was palpable.  
  
*They were blue and white*  
  
*Oh, * Luke commented just before Biggs nudged him violently.  
  
"There, see?" his friend hissed, pointing. "That's Morrdin's flag" Luke squinted to see, using the Force to enhance his vision slightly to see the female who was carrying the flag, Morrdin's wife.  
  
"And now the racers are moving out on to the track!" the commentaries double voice announced  
Luke and Biggs stood up, straining to get a better look, swapping comments about the make of each of the Pods. They both agreed that Morrdin's Pod was by far the best. The commentaries were announcing the names and home planets of each of the racers, Luke and Biggs raised an especially loud cheer when Morrdin's name was mentioned.  
  
"Sit down!" Obi-Wan's slightly panicked voice ordered. Biggs and Luke thumped back down onto the bench but continued strainig to see, ignoring the annoyed mutterings of the twi'leck party seated behind them.   
  
Luke's breath caught in his throat. The tense excitement of the crowd pounded on his sensing, roaring through him and only serving to heighten his own excitement. Hastily he raised some protective shields, remembering Ben's lessons. The flag bearers were leaving the arena now, leaving the track clear for the racers. Pit droids and assistance quickly excited the starting area as the double headed commentator began the count down.   
  
Three, two, one...  
  
The pods roared of as the starting light blared to the roar of the crowd, thrusters kicking up sand from the raked floor of the arena, and to young heads beant over a viewer, anxiously keeping track of one racer in particular.   
  
******  
  
Luke yawned widely as Obi-Wan helped him and Biggs into the speeder. His pockets were heavy with his half of the prize money, money he and Biggs had won from betting on Morrdin. He grinned sleepily as he settled himself down onto the speeder seat next to Biggs, remembering how the crowd had poured out of the stands to congratulate Morrdin when he roared in first. Morrdin had told him and Biggs later, a big grin on his face and one arm around his wife, that he planned on competing in the next Boonta Eve race. They had promised to come and see him in it if they could. Morrdin said he hoped they did, he thought they had brought him luck. Luke had had to stop himself from telling him that there was no such thing as luck.  
  
Now, though, he leant his head against the back of his seat and was asleep before they had left Mos Espa, a seep feeling of contentment laying over him.  
  
Luke stirred briefly as the speeder paused in Anchorhead to drop Biggs off, then fell asleep again as they travelled back out over the desert.  
  
Obi-Wan pulled the speeder up outside their home, climbed out and stretched, then walked around to luke's side.  
  
"Padawan," he asked softly then smiled. Luke was still asleep, tired out. Ben leant in and picked the sleeping boy up in his arms. Luke stirred slightly and mumbled something. Obi-Wan smiled fondly. He must be tired, he thought, or he would put up a huge protest at me carrying him like this. Ben carried Luke's sleeping form into the house and put him down gently onto his bed, removing his boots, then pulling his covers up, trying not to wake him.  
  
Obi-Wan stroked his Padawan's tousled hair gently, then stood up to leave. Abruptly, Lukes arm shot out and grapped hold of his wrist. Ben looked down, surprised, he had thought that he was completely out of it.  
  
"Thank you, Master," Luke whispered, "This was the best Birthday ever." Obi-Wan smiled, touched.  
  
"You're welcome, Padawan," he murmured, planting a kiss on Luke's forhead.  
  
"Can't wait 'till next year," he mumbled, already dropping back off to sleep.  
  
Obi-Wan froze at the doorway, his hand on the light switch as an expression of horror crossed his face.  
  
"Next year?" he asked.  
  



End file.
